Needlepoint blocking device

ABSTRACT

A blocking device having a base member and a plurality of gripping members form a closed figure of variable dimension having the gripping members formed in one or more parallel rows of outwardly extending members.

United States Patent [1 1 Juro Apr. 16, 1974 NEEDLEPOINT BLOCKING DEVICE 3,238,651 3/1966 Becker 38/10291 2,053,465 9/1936 Davis... 33/1025 [76] invent: 9 Arthur 2,547,985 4/1951 Unwin 38/1025 North Brunswlck, NJ. 08902 Filed: 1972 Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson [211 Appl' No; 306,280 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-David S. Woronoff v 52 us. 01. 38/1025 57 ABSTRACT l I t. C]. D 6 3 0 g of Search 38/102 4 102 g I A blocking device havmg a base member and a plurality of gripping members form a closed figure of variable dimension having the gripping members formed [56] Reference-s Cited in one or more parallel rows of outwardly extending UNITED STATES PATENTS members 333,737 l/l886 Fougeadoire 38/1015 11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 'J (D O 0 o o o o I 2 O fi o O i 0 U .f) e 1' i O l PATENTEBAPR 16 1914 3; 803; 734

- sum 1 [IF 3 FIG.

oooooooc oooooooooo OCDOQO NEEDLEPOINT BLOCKING DEVICE A blocking device or frame for shaping needlepoint and other needlework or heavy canvass materials having one or more base members. Fixed to or formed from the base members are a plurality of outwardly extending gripping members. When in one embodiment the base member and the gripping members are formed separately, the base member has a plurality of holes formed in it to enable the gripping members to be situated in various positions to accommodate needlework configurations from small to large size. In the embodiment in which the base member and the gripping members are formed from the same material, the gripping member/base member combination are adapted for mutual engagement such that a rectangular or other regular surface may be formed to accommodate a wide variety of needlework sizes and configurations. The gripping members outwardly extending portions are either provided with a protective cover to protect users from injury from the points or the points are formed so that the gripping members have a downwardly or horizontally extending portion such that a human hand would not be likely to be injured by it and yet efficient to engage the needlework canvass. A second row of gripping members may be formed parallel to the first row in each of the gripping member units. When the gripping members and the base member are formed from one unit, the gripping member/base member combination may have channels for structural rigidity. All of the grippingmembers are rigidly held prior to use in blocking and all are in substantially the same plane.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for use in the blocking of needlepoint or needlework at home by the makers of the needlepoint or needlework. It is well known today that needlepoint work has become very fashionable as a pastime and art form in America enjoyed by men and especially women of all ages. Until the present invention, there has been no way for these people to block and shape their own needlework, except as described in articles in home and family magazines, such as McCalls, or a Family Circle magazine issue of Feb. 1972.

In both these publications, the needlepoint or needlework maker was advised to tack the needlework into a board having brown paper over it but underneath the needlepoint.

This method is time consuming and not entirely satisfactory, especially in onlyone blocking. The Family Circle or McCalls method has three primary difficulties: it is difficult to get a canvass to have square corners; it is difficult to make the canvass have straght edges; and it is difficult to adjust the canvass during blocking. It is difficult to adjust because to adjust any one border the entire row of tacks must be removed. In short, as a practical matter, it is inconvenient and time consuming, using this method, to secure a square or any other shape desired for the needlework.

There are no patents particularly related to the needlepoint field and there are none which are particularly useful at home for makers of needlepoint and other heavy needlework. The closest prior art found, hwoever. are the following patents:

US. Pat. No. 2,053,465 issued to W. L. Davis;

US. Pat. No. 2,598,799 issued to A. E. Garner, ct al.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,966,759 issued to .l. A. Robertson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,480 issued to E. Der Estephenian; and

US. Pat. No. 3,425,143 issued to N. A. Feld, et al.

Not one of the devices shown is suitable for use in the home in connection with needlepoint or heavy needlework. The Davis patent cited above is really very similar to the needlepoint blocking method taught in the McCalls and Family C ircle magazines. tiEtfirte pins to be stuck into a board which already has holes in it. This method, except for the saving of time and the pressure of pushing thumbtacks into board, is essentially the same mechanism.

The device taught in Robertson is a variation of the Davis structure, except that with the hooks it enables the three-dimensional shaping and stretching of doilies. Again, this structure is not readily adaptable to needlepoint work because the pins must be placed individually in the holes provided. In addition, .it is designed to conveniently handle only circular. work. i

The Garner device has pins in different planes which are recessed, some of them in respect to the frame which holds them. This structure is not suitable for stretching needlework because of the forces required and the need to be able to hook on the gripping pins easily. In addition, Garner is only adjustable in one dimension, greatly limiting the scope of needlework which can be handled.

The Feld device relies on the cellular structure of materials such as styrofoam which is not capable of exerting sufficient force to block needlepoint.

The Estephenian device teaches relatively non-rigid frames where the rigidity is obtained for holding lightweight stretchable knits from a base into which the frame is inserted. This structure being limited to a particular shape design is not suitable for home needlepoint use where the homemaker or needlepoint maker would want to beable to handle a wide variety of sizes and shapes.

It is clear from a review of the prior art that the prior art devices which were designed either for curtains which are all rectangular and large in shape and require little dimensional variation or for small doilies and the like or stretching of sweaters and things in which relatively low tensions are needed in order to restore materials to the proper shape. The Estaphenian device was clearly designed to aid manufacturers of womens swimwear and other knitted garments to put designs on those garments which would be of the proper shape when the garments were on the wearer. These are low tension devices designed for one particular size for a great many applications over that size.

'It is because the art is in its present state prior to this invention that McCalls and Family Circle were, in 1971 and 1972, forced to tell home needlepoint and other needlework makers that if they wanted to block their work at home, they had to secure a wooden block, thumb tacks, brown paper and the like. While these assemblies were suitable, they were certainly not easy to use or convenient and the job they did for the needlework maker was less frequently only satisfactory after a number of attempts at blocking.

The needlework maker could take the needlepoint to some professional services such as art framers and others who would professionally block the needlework into shape. These methods, while more or less satisfactory, were expensive and time consuming to the needlework maker, and commercial prices for such work range from $5.00 and up.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the problems present in the prior art.

The present invention teaches a needlepoint blocking apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use.

The present invention teaches a needlepoint blocking apparatus which can be formed out of single strips of materials such as aluminum, steel, brass, bronze or I blocking apparatus which is capable of doing a better job in blocking needlework quickly than any previously known device.

The present invention teaches a needlepoint blocking device which is easier to use than any known prior system.

The present invention teaches a needlepoint blocking apparatus which is of lower cost to manufacture than any known device.

The present invention teaches a novel needlepoint and heavy needlework blocking apparatus which gives the required dimensional stability and strength required for such devices.

' The present invention teaches a novelneedlework blocking apparatus which, by virtue of its design, provides air spaces underneath the needlepoint enabling faster drying and blocking.

The present invention teaches a novel needlepoint blocking apparatus in which the pins are either shaped or covered to protect the operator during non-use and use.

The present invention teaches a needlepoint blocking apparatus with a plurality'of rows of parallel gripping members or pins.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel needlepoint blocking device which is of lower cost and easier to manufacture than any known device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel needlepoint blocking device which can be used conveniently in the home.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel needlepoint blocking apparatus which enables the needlework maker to do a better job in the home faster to achieve needlework with a better appearance than could be done previously. I I

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel needlework blocking apparatus in'which. the needlework is held by gripping members above the surface of the supporting board so that air flow underneath of g the needlework "may occur for proper drying.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel needlework blocking apparatus which has one or more rows of fixed generally parallel gripping pins.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel needlepoint blocking apparatus which has greater strength and dimensional stability than any known device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel neediework blocking apparatus in which all of the gripping pins are in the same plane.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel needlepoint apparatus for blocking needlepoint which can accommodate a wide variety of sizes of needlepoint work.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following drawings and description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown there a first embodiment of the present invention. The blocking device shown generally by the numeral 10 has a flat board member 12 which may be made of wood, having a plu rality of regularly spaced apertures 14. The apertures may be spaced at intervals of one inch or less. A pluality of gripping members 16, 18,20 and 22 are shown bolted to the board into one position by bolts 30 which have nuts 31 shown as wing nuts.

The gripping members 16 have one or more rows of pins 24 fixed therein. If there is more than one row, they are parallel to the first row as shown by the relationship of row of pins 24 and row of pins 26. There is presently manufactured a material which is known and used as carpet anchor and is described in US. Pat. No. 2,631,327 issued in the name of R. .M. Roberts which may be used to provide the members 16, 18, 20 and 22 with the parallel rows of pins or nails. While one row of nails or pins 24 is adequate, the second row 26 adds considerable flexibility and utility to the blocking apparatus. i

The typical commercial embodiment of the present invention will employ a board 12 having a dimension about 2 feet square. The gripping members will have a dimension of length approximating 24 inches.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In that embodiment, the gripping members and the planar member are formed from one unit shown in FIG. 3 as unit which are essentially hermaphroditieally interconnected.

These units 110 may be formed from aluminum, brass, steel, plastic or any other rigid moldable or ex truded material. The rows of gripping members I24 and 126' may be formed from the surface of the unit 110. If, for example, an aluminum is used, the gripping embodiment of that attachment is shown in FIGS. 3

and 4. In FIG. 3 an extending member 102 has formed thereon a rectangular engaging member 104 which is designed to fit into the keyway member 108 which is formed from an extending member 106 which extends from the block 110. A pin member 130 extends through apertures 132 and 134 to lock units 110 together. The plurality of apertures 134 formed in unit 110 enables the assembly to block various sizes of canvass.

Those skilled in the art can readily appreciate the interconnectability of pairs of units 110 to form the necessary rectangular shapes shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

Turning now to FIG. 5, there is shown a third embodiment of the present invention. Like parts to those in FIG. 1 are indicated by like numerals preceded by a 200 series prefix.

Board member 212 is substantially similar to member 12 shown in FIG. 1. Rigid member 216 which may be molded or extruded has pin member 224 and 226 formed thereon, similar to members 124 and 126 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Rigid bridge member 201 interconnects hook members 202 and 204 to member 216. Hook member 202 and 204 fit through holes 214 formed on board 212 to prevent member 216 from being moved relative to the board 216 once properly engaged therein. Member 216 has legs 240 and 242 to keep hook members 224 and 226 above board member 212.

It is is desired to enable the members shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to assume a triangular shape, the appropriate interlocking surfaces in a pivoted portion of the unit 110 would enable such a shape to be made.

It can be easily seen that the present invention will accomplish all of its stated objects. It is clearly easy to manufacture, light in weight, and easy to ship.

The needlework blocking apparatus has the requisite physical strength to enable a person to pull needlepoint with full force over the established frames with the pins 124 and 126 or 24 and 26 depending on which embodiment of the present invention is used.

Because the rows of pins are already established, the user can insure that an exceptionally straight edge is obtained because he is not adjusting the needlepoint work piece by piece.

The plurality of rows enables one blocking needlepoint to secure greater stress without having to undo either a whole row of pins or several rows of pins to secure the proper stress in any given direction.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not inclined to the particular forms shown and described. The invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from its spirit and therefore the right to employ all the equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims is asserted.

I claim:

1. In a device for blocking needlework the combination comprising:

means defining a rigid planar member comprising a board member having a plurality of engaging surfaces thereon; first perimeter means having a plurality of first outwardly extending gripping members; second perimeter means having a plurality of said first outwardly extending gripping members; third perimeter means having a plurality of said first outwardly extending gripping members; said first, second and third perimeter means having a variable position with respect to said defined planar member wherein said first outwardly extending gripping members define a second plane substantially parallel to said first planar member. 2. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: said perimeter means are fixedly fastened to said planar means by a plurality of rigid fastening members extending through said perimeter means and said planar members. 3. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: said means for defining a rigid planar member comprises means on said first, second and third perimeter means adapted for respective mutual engagement. 4. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: fourth perimeter means having a plurality of said first outwardly extending gripping members; said fourth perimeter means having a variable position with respect to said planar member wherein said first outwardly extending gripping members define a second plane substantially parallel to said first planar member. 5. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: one or more of said perimeter members having a plurality of second outwardly extending gripping members; said second outwardly extending members are substantially parallel to their respective first outwardly extending members and are in the same plane as the first outwardly extending members. 6. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: protective means are adapted to cover said outwardly extending gripping members. 7. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: said outwardly extending gripping members have radially extending portion. 8. In a device for blocking fabric the combination comprising:

a plurality of longitudinal members adapted for mutual engagement; and, said longitudinal members having a plurality of first outwardly extending members formed thereon, said longitudinal members, being hermaphroditic, when mutually engaged forming a substantially rigid planar member having said outwardly extending gripping members integral with said longitudinal members such that substantial force can be supported on the outwardly extending members and the inter-engaged longitudinal members without disturbing the said formed rigid planar member. 9. The device claimed in claim 8 including further: said longitudinal members having a plurality of second outwardly extending members formed thereon. 10. The device'claimed in claim 8 wherein: said plurality of first outwardly extending members has an inwardly extending portion. 11. The device claimed in claim 8 wherein: said plurality of first outwardly extending members is adapted to hold fabric above the plane so defined by the outwardly extending members. 

1. In a device for blocking needlework the combination comprising: means defining a rigid planar member comprising a board member having a plurality of engaging surfaces thereon; first perimeter means having a plurality of first outwardly extending gripping members; second perimeter means having a plurality of said first outwardly extending gripping members; third perimeter means having a plurality of said first outwardly extending gripping members; said first, second and third perimeter means having a variable position with respect to said defined planar member wherein said first outwardly extending gripping members define a second plane substantially parallel to said first planar member.
 2. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: said perimeter means are fixedly fastened to said planar means by a plurality of rigid fastening members extending through said perimeter means and said planar members.
 3. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: said means for defining a rigid planar member comprises means on said first, second and third perimeter means adapted for respective mutual engagement.
 4. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: fourth perimeter means having a plurality of said first outwardly extending gripping members; said fourth perimeter means having a variable position with respect to said planar member wherein said first outwardly extending gripping members define a second plane substantially parallel to said first planar member.
 5. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: one or more of said perimeter members having a plurality of second outwardly extending gripping members; said second outwardly extending members are substantially parallel to their respective first outwardly extending members and are in the same plane as the first outwardly extending members.
 6. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: protective means are adapted to cover said outwardly extending gripping members.
 7. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein: said outwardly extending gripping members have radially extending portion.
 8. In a device for blocking fabric the combination comprising: a plurality of longitudinal members adapted for mutual engagement; and, said longitudinal members having a plurality of first outwardly extending members formed thereon, said longitudinal members, being hermaphroditic, when mutually engaged forming a substantially rigid planar member having said outwardly extending gripping members integral with said longitudinal members such that substantial force can be supported on the outwardly extending members and the inter-engaged longitudinal members without disturbing the said formed rigid planar member.
 9. The device claimed in claim 8 including further: said longitudinal members having a plurality of second outwardly extending members formed thereon.
 10. The device claimed in claim 8 wherein: said plurality of first outwardly extending members has an inwardly extending portion.
 11. The device claimed in claim 8 wherein: said plurality of first outwardly extending members is adapted to hold fabric above the plane so defined by the Outwardly extending members. 